No more Kool-Aid, please

I know when I'm at my limit.

Approaching the UGA hoops season I saw Wofford at Stegeman, Georgia Tech at Stegeman, and a mid-major on a neutral court.  That early schedule said to me a UGA record of 3 and 0.  Maybe 2 and 1 if we started the season slow.

Mark Fox pronounced to the world that Georgia was a Top 25 team.  I attributed Fox's comments to salesmanship, a coach trying to buoy his players.  Although I couldn't see Top 25, I willingly went along with the implied notion that we would be pretty good this year.  Solid in the fundamentals.  Competitive, beating the teams we should.    

Last night a winless Davidson squad took it to us.  Beat us by double digits.  Now in the cold light of reality, we are 1 and 2.

In that same light, I scan our roster.  We don't have pure shooters, elite defenders or dominant post players. No Jeremy Price, Ajax, Chris Barnes, Ricky McPhee, Travis Leslie or Trey Thompkins.  We got a fat zero on the fall recruiting trail.  No obvious help on the horizon.

My hope is that UGA will get better.  That Brandon Morris is the missing link.  That we will beat Temple tonight.

I'm a homer, but even the most ardent hoops supporters have to face facts.  We're not a top 25 team.  We're not a pretty good team.  We're in last place in the SEC, on the brink of yet another losing season.

We need to turn things around tonight.  I have hope, but that's about all.  I want Fox to show us he can coach, that he can win on the court and on the recruiting trail.  I'm done with Kool-Aid.

Georgia will beat Davidson

Here's why:

1.  Tech beat us

I imagine that practice this week was rigorous.  Not wanting to start the season at 1 and 2, the Dawgs will hunker down early and play to win.

2.  Morris will play

Brandon Morris won't start, but he'll see action.  Anything more than a 3-game suspension would have been in the news.

Brandon will spell Cameron Forte and Morris will remind Dawg fans what he can do:  play above the rim, score in the post, get to the free throw line.

3.  Georgia is bigger in the post

There's a reason they're 0 and 3.  Davidson was really good last year, but they have played this year against schools with bigger athletes and have yet to win.  Georgia will have an advantage on the boards.  When we out-rebound a team, we will win.

4.  Kenny Gaines will have a good game

He didn't shoot well against Tech.  Neither did Parker.  Expect both to bounce back.

5.  Charles Mann is a stud

As I have said previously, Mann will likely finish his career as Georgia's best point guard ever.  Mann has the size of Vern Fleming, the willingness to drive of Sundiata Gaines, and the intangibles of Rashad Wright.  He has changed the release on his shot, which makes him a threat to score from deep.  He'll have 18 or 19 points this evening.

This one won't be as close as the experts have predicted.  Dawgs win by 14.  Game starts at 5:00.

Oops.  Game starts when it starts.  Double-overtime game pushes back the start.